1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective apparel for the lower legs and feet, and more specifically to a protective cover which can be worn over shoes or boots, and which protects the wearer's footwear and lower legs. The cover is universal, in that it may be applied to either the left or right leg and foot without need for specifically formed shapes for the left or right foot.
2. Introduction and Description of the Prior Art
There are many occasions when a person's lower legs and footwear are exposed to conditions which may cause injury to the person and/or damage to expensive footwear and clothing. For example, when operating a lawn mower, grass clippings and other debris are hurled at the feet and lower legs, possibly staining the pant legs. Also, operating a string trimmer is especially hazardous because of the exposed rotating cutting string. Even with a guard, the exposed cutting string has been known to occasionally hit the lower leg of the operator of the string trimmer, thus causing injury to the operator's leg.
Operating a chain saw may also be hazardous, due to the saw dust and debris generated by the saw. Such debris can travel at high velocities and may impact the lower legs of the chain saw operator. Further, the chain saw blade itself may hit the lower legs or feet of the operator, with the potential for severe injury. When painting, paint may splatter on expensive shoes, boots, and clothing, thus ruining such items. Also the lower leg area is prone to insect bites during outdoor activities, even when long pants are worn. For these reasons, many leg protectors have been proposed in the prior art. A discussion of the related art of which the inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided immediately below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,313, issued to Buhei Mahide et al. on Nov. 25, 1975 and titled "Injection Molded Boots," describes a boot formed of a stretchable cloth base with a patterned or printed resin layer thereover, coated by a transparent resin layer. Mahide et al. do not show a puttee sewn to a molded footwear cover, and disclose a completely closed sole, unlike the open sole of the present footwear and lower leg covering. Also, Mahide et al. are silent regarding the provision of a laterally symmetrical footwear cover for fitting either the left or right foot equally well, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,558, issued to John G. Slusher on Mar. 8, 1977 and titled "Golf Rubber Overshoe," describes a golf overshoe with spikes on the sole. Slusher does not show a molded footwear cover with an open sole, nor a laterally symmetrical shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,853, issued to Larry A. McLane on Nov. 15, 1977 and titled "Snake Leggings," shows snake-proof leggings made of steel mesh. The leggings are of the same material for both the foot covering and legging portions, unlike the different materials used for those components of the present invention. McLane does not show a molded footwear cover, and is silent regarding any symmetrical or universal fit for left and right feet, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,812, issued to Wayne A. Harmsen on Jul. 15, 1986 and titled "Leggings," describes leggings made of a single piece of material. Harmsen does not show a molded footwear cover having an open sole, and notes that left and right foot and leg articles may be formed by reversing the blanks used in constructing the articles. The present covering and protector is symmetrical and universal for both left and right feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,491, issued to Howard Plotkin on Nov. 6, 1990 and titled "Disposable, Collapsible Overshoe," describes a disposable overshoe. Plotkin does not show a molded footwear cover having an open sole, nor any symmetrical construction providing for a universal fit on both left and right feet using a single form, as provided by the present covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,503, issued to George H. Hightower, Jr. et al. on Dec. 15, 1992 and titled "Snake Protective Leggings," describes leggings formed of mesh or screen material. Hightower, Jr. et al. do not show a molded footwear cover having an open sole, or any component extending substantially below the ankle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,676, issued to Thomas S. Hughes et al. on May 17, 1994 and titled "Changeable Shoe Covering," describes a stretch cover for covering a woman's shoe. The device completely covers the sole of the shoe, unlike the open sole of the present covering. Hughes et al. do not show a molded footwear cover having a puttee sewn thereto, and are silent regarding provision of a symmetrical unit for universal fit of both left and right feet or shoes, as provided by the present covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,491, issued to Lawrence L. Mascotte on Aug. 16, 1994 and titled "Shoe Covering Members," describes a shoe cover having an upper part that attaches to a lower part. The lower part is sealingly engageable with the sole of the shoe. The Mascotte cover requires a specially adapted shoe therewith, to provide for sealing the cover to the edge of the shoe sole, unlike the present covering and protector. Since the Mascotte cover is adapted to seal to the edge of the shoe sole, and shoes are customarily constructed in pairs with each shoe being a mirror image of the opposite shoe, Mascotte obviously forms his covers asymmetrically to fit either a left or right shoe, unlike the symmetrical construction of the present covers and protectors. Also, Mascotte does not show a molded footwear cover having a puttee sewn thereto, as provided by the present covers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,637, issued to James R. Adam on Nov. 28, 1995 and titled "Rain Leggings," describes protective leggings that only cover the front of the lower leg and the top front of the foot. Adam does not show a molded footwear cover that covers the heel of the shoe. Also, Adam notes on column 3, lines 41 and 42, that his "Leggings . . . can be shaped to approximate left and right shoes", whereas the present foot cover and protector is symmetrical for fitting both left and right shoes.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 210,190, issued to Richard J. Garcia on Feb. 20, 1968 and titled "Sportsman's Leg Protector," illustrates a leg protector or legging. Garcia does not show a molded footwear cover.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 281,739, issued to Willie J. Hazley on Dec. 17, 1985 and titled "Shoe Protector," illustrates a shoe protector that does not cover the toe of the shoe. Hazley does not show a molded footwear cover that completely covers the shoe upper. However, the Hazley protector includes a portion which fits under the heel of the shoe, unlike the present protector. The Hazley design appears to be asymmetrical, requiring a mirror image for each foot.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 306,921, issued to Venico Pettinelli on Mar. 27, 1990 and titled "Combined Ankle And Shin Protector," shows a legging type device with a depending extension over the outer ankle bone. Pettinelli does not show a molded footwear cover, and his protector is asymmetrical, unlike the present symmetrical protector and cover.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 322,354, issued to Joseph M. Tully on Dec. 17, 1991 and titled "Protective Cover For An Athletic Shoe," illustrates a shoe protector that covers the bottom of the toe of the shoe. Tully does not show a molded footwear cover that completely covers the shoe upper, nor any form of puttee or legging extending upwardly therefrom, as provided by the present cover and protector.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 341,475, issued to Hiromi Ikezawa on Nov. 23, 1993 and titled "Shoe Cover," illustrates a shoe cover for a woman's shoe. Ikezawa does not show a molded footwear cover having a puttee sewn thereto, and includes a portion passing under the sole of the shoe at the instep portion, unlike the present invention.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 354,615, issued to Pamela A. Parker on Jan. 24, 1995 and titled "Half Chap Leg Covering," illustrates a lower leg covering in the form of a half chap, i. e., with each individual leg covering being separate from one another. Parker does not show a molded footwear cover that covers the footwear upper.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 365,667, issued to Thomas H. Hargrove et al. on Dec. 26, 1995 and titled "Leg Protector," shows protective leggings that only cover the front of the lower leg and the top front of the foot. Hargrove et al. do not show a molded footwear cover that covers the heel or toe of the shoe.
U.K. Patent Application Number 2,103,069 A by Peter James Smith, dated Feb. 16, 1983 and titled "Sporting Overshoes," describes a golf overshoe with spikes on the sole, somewhat like the overshoe of the U.S. '558 patent to Slusher discussed further above. Smith does not show a molded footwear cover with an open sole or a symmetrical cover, as provided by the present invention.
U.K. Patent Application Number 2,226,943 A by Ellis Frith et al., dated Jul. 18, 1990 and titled "Chain Saw Protective Leggings, Trousers And Jackets," describes protective leggings which prevent injury to a wearer's legs from a chain saw. Frith et al. do not show a molded footwear cover that covers the upper of the shoe, as provided by the present cover and protector.
U.K. Patent Application Number 2,245,477 A by Jung-Hui Ho, dated Jan. 8, 1992 and titled "A Protective Half Sleeve Or Legging," describes a protective legging. Ho does not show a molded footwear cover that covers a shoe upper, nor is his sleeve or legging openable along one side, as in the present invention.
European Patent Application Number 0,411,524 A2 by Costantino Ursella, dated Feb. 6, 1991 and titled "Overshoe For Footwear Particularly For Fishing," describes an overshoe with a non-slip sole. Ursella does not show a molded footwear cover having an open sole, as in the present cover and protector.
Finally, International Application Number WO 96/15691 by Clive Neal Taylor-Haasz, dated May 30, 1996 and titled "Overshoes," describes a protective overshoe that surrounds the sole of the shoe. Taylor-Haasz does not show a molded footwear cover having an open sole, as in the present cover and protector.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.